Card-index marker.



No. 770,788. I PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

' G. P. WILLIAMSON.

CARD INDEX MARKER.

APPLIOATION FILED IAN. 14, 1903.

no MODEL.

r a I UNITE STATES Patented September 27, 1904.

GEORGE FREDERICK WILLIAMSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CARD-INDEX MARKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,788, dated September 27, 1904.

Ap li atio fil d January 14, 1903. Serial No. 139,016. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE FREDERICK WILLIAMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Card-Index Markers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in files. Devices of this character are now extensively used to file cards which are employed for. various purposes. Said cards are generally arranged in a system and must often be removed to have indorsements made thereon. In many instances considerable time is consumed in returning the card to its proper position in the file owing to difficulty in locating the place among the other cards from which the card it is desired to return was removed. Occasionally the position from which a card has been removed is marked by laying a pencil or penholder between the adjacent cards. If the file is in the form of a drawer, the end of the pencil or penholder usually projects beyond the edges thereof and prevents the closing of the drawer, which is very undesirable.

My invention has been designed to provide a file with a marker to indicate the position from which a card or other article has been removed.

In the accompanying drawings the several Views are as follows: 1

Figure l is a plan View thereof. Fig. 2 is i a side elevation of my improved file. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line w w of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Throughout the drawings like reference characters designate similar and corresponding parts.

The drawings show one way of carrying out my invention. Therein-1s illustrated a drawer what below the cards, save small portions at each end thereof which form shoulders 8, and the forward shoulder is provided with a hole or recess 9. Above the edge 6 is arranged a rod 10, which has its forward end projecting into the hole 9 for support. The rear end of the rod is angularly bent, as at 11, and has its extremity flattened to form a foot-piece 12, whereby said end is held in its relative position. The foot-piece is secured to the edge of the drawer by a screw 13 passing through a hole therein. A sleeve 14 is arranged upon said rod and adapted to slide thereon from end to end and also to turn transversely. A plate or tab 15, which serves as a marker or indicator, has one end secured to said sleeve and is adapted to be moved therewith. It may be moved from one end of the drawer to the other and may be turned so as to project into the cards in the drawer or to extend outwardly at one side thereof. When said plate or tab projects into the cards, it is preferably supported in a horizontal position by engaging the edge of the box. Said plate or tab is adapted to be engaged by the finger of the operator to move the same upon the rod 10.

In using a file of the character such as herein described the carol which it is desired to remove is selected and the marker moved opposite and dropped into the position from which said card is taken. In returning the card its proper place among the cards is already ascertained by the marker, and it is placed in the position indicated thereby. The marker, which extends into the cards,will not interfere with the movement of the drawer, as would be the case if a pencil or other article were placed between the cards and extended beyond the edges of the drawer. The plate or tab may be easily shifted from one position to another, and by bearing outwardly with the finger upon the sleeve thereof the marker may be readily raised from the cards.

It will be observed that I have described my invention in connection with a drawer for cards merely for convenience in disclosing the principles thereof; but of course it will be understood that my improvement is applicable to many forms of files, and it is immaterial whether cards or other articles are filed therein. Furthermore, I am aware that there are various changes in the details of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts which may be made without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention and the same yet remain intact and be protected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as'new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a box for holding cards or similar articles, of a marker movable from one Y end of the box to the other and adapted to be inserted among the articles filed therein, said marker being arranged within the outer sides of said box whereby it will not interfere with the sliding in and out of the box when the same is used as a drawer.

2. In adevice of the character described, the combination with a box for holding cards or similar articles, of a rod longitudinally mounted upon the upper edge of one side thereof and a marker longitudinally movable on said rod and pivoted to turn transversely to said box whereby said marker may be moved into and desired position in the box.

3. In a device of the character described, the v combination with a box for holding cards or similar articles having the upper edge of one side cut away, of a rod mounted in said cutaway portion, and a marker pivotally mounted upon said rod and longitudinally movable thereon, whereby said marker may be moved into and out of alinement with the articles filed at any desired position in the box.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a file, of a rod, and a marker movable upon said rod and adapted to indicate any desired position among the articles filed, said rod having its forward end entering a hole ina support at one end of said file and having its rear end supported by an angularly-bent portion thereof, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE FREDERICK WILLIAMSON.

Witnesses:

EDWIN B. H. TOWER, Jr., M. R. ROCHFORD. 

